Shock cancellation provokes industry rethink.

What next for Australian motor show?

The next Australian motor show could shun exhibition halls to take the form of an interactive outdoor experience combining sun and speed.

Organisers of the Australian International Motor Show havecancelled this year’s display, which was set to be held in held in Melbourne in June, and will look overseas for inspiration.

Tony Weber, chief executive for the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries - a joint venture partner in the Australian International Motor Show - says the event’s organising committee would potentially look at interactive alternatives such as England’s Goodwood Festival of Speed and Sydney’s recently-held Top Gear Festival for inspiration.

“We will look around the world at what’s happening and do our market research to and see what the public wants.”

Russ Tyrie, event director for the Australian International Motor Show, agreed that the show could take on a different form.

“We’d rule nothing in or nothing out,” he says.

“As far as future shows go the joint committee would certainly be looking at market research and exploring all sorts of options.”

Many high-profile manufacturers including Audi, BMW and Ferrari have turned their back on local motorshows, preferring to spend marketing budgets on more engaging customer strategies such as trackside driver experiences and event sponsorship.

Ford changed tack for the Sydney motor show in 2012, downsizing to a small stand with three cars inside the exhibition hall.

The blue oval also built a test track outside the arena that gave 5000 people the chance to test-drive new the Ford Focus, Mondeo and Ranger.

Ford spokesman Neil McDonald said it was important to offer people more than a chance to sit inside a show car and take home a brochure.

“We had a lot of positive feedback about our outdoor drive experience. It was certainly beneficial for us and certainly a big hit with showgoers.

“It was a huge hit and we were looking to do something similar in Melbourne.”

McDonald says Ford is “obviously disappointed that the Melbourne show has been cancelled”.

“It’s probably a little bit early to talk about other options we have going forward,” he says.

“It’s come as a bit of a shock for us.”

The next Australian show is set to be held in Sydney in 2014, when it will move from Darling Harbour to the Olympic Park precinct, but Tyrie gave no guarantee that show would go ahead.

“The decision on future shows including 2014 will be made by the committee,” he said.

“We certainly don’t see this as the end of motor shows in Australia, rather we will continue to review the merits of each show.”

A revised motor show would need to court manufacturers which have turned their backs on the concept.

BMW had just one car on display at the 2011 Melbourne motor show, and the brand was completely absent from the Sydney motor show in 2012.

Lenore Fletcher, spokeswoman for BMW Australia, says motor shows, which generally require a million-dollar budget, do not represent a good investment for the brand.

“I think motor shows are a fantastic opportunity for people to show their products to the general public.

“However, at this point, BMW is not taking part in the motor show. It’s a matter of horses for courses and how people choose to spend their marketing dollars.”

Mercedes-Benz did not take part in the Sydney and Melbourne motor shows when they were held in the same year, but returned as soon as the cities shared a single event over alternating years.

Brand spokesman David McCarthy says Mercedes-Benz was happy with its involvement in recent shows and, like it has done in previous years, had already arranged a number of special cars for a display in Melbourne this year.

“We are disappointed that there won’t be a show this year,” he says.

“We gave a commitment that, where there was one show, we would be there.”

Holden spokesman Craig Cheetham says his brand planned to show off the new VF Commodoreat the Melbourne motor show, but that the show was only a small part of his media strategy.

“There are other ways of reaching people,” he says. “It’s always been our plan to focus on very specific ways of launching new cars... we have highly creative campaigns in the works.”

Have your say: Tell us in the comments section what you think any future motor show should include? Do you like the idea of a more interactive events and displays?